Old Friend, New Enemy
by YoukaiNemisis
Summary: COMPLETE - What is the very worst thing Ni Jianyi could do to the Sanzo party? How about brain washing Goku into believing it was Ni who saved him from his prison..?
1. Chapter 1

Goku thrashed awake, a choked cry coming from his throat. A dark figure moved across the room to his bed, and a gentle hand smoothed his sleep-tousled hair.

"Bad dream, Goku?" that well-loved and familiar voice asked. Goku grabbed at the fingers as they retreated and placed them back on his head.

"I was back in _that place_ again, and you didn't come and get me! It was _awful_." The slender fingers twined through his hair, tipping his head back to look at the man standing by his bedside.

"I'll always come for you, Goku, you know that," the other soothed. "Here, move over," he added, shifting to sit on the edge of the narrow bed. He opened his arms, and Goku gratefully crawled into them, wrapping his arms around the slender waist and resting his head against the older man's narrow shoulder. "And I'll always be here for you, you know that too, right?"

Goku made a noise of agreement, breathing deep of the mingled scents of cigarette smoke, rare incense, and other, less savoury things, and felt the tension of the nightmare leave him. "I know, Doctor Ni, I know."

Ni Jianyi looked down at the crown of messy brown hair and smiled. It had been so disappointingly _easy_, he mused. Separate Goku from the others, a needle to the back of the neck full of the most powerful sedative he could concoct, then whisking the youth away for a quick mind scrub. He hadn't gone through the full process with Goku, just... tweaked him a little. Now, the youth believed that _Ni_ had rescued him from his mountain prison, that _Ni_ had cared for him, raised him for the past few years, that Houtou Castle was his home. Ni let none of his thoughts reflect in his voice as he spoke. "Good," he soothed, stroking the hair again and allowing his fingers to drift to the young man's shoulder. "It was just a dream, after all. You should try and go back to sleep." The arms around his waist tightened.

"No." Goku's voice was muffled against Ni's white clad shoulder. "I can't." The hand on his shoulder began to stroke gently, describing small circles on the youth's back.

"Yes, you can," Ni insisted softly. "You can sleep through anything." A muted laugh was his answer. "C'mon, lie down." Goku tensed again.

"Stay with me," he pleaded, lifting his had from Ni's shoulder and pinning Ni's dark eyes with his own golden ones. "Please?" Ni did not break his mask of concerned parent.

"Alright," he replied. "Shift over a little more." Goku obliged, and Ni lay down beside him, the narrow bed forcing him to cuddle in close. The youth hadn't removed his arms from around the doctor's waist, and Goku tucked his head back into the curve of Ni's throat, making a happy noise. The hot breath against Ni's neck swiftly slipped into the deeper rhythms of sleep, and only then did Ni relax and let his lips stretch into his usual sardonic smile.

**0o0o0o0o0**

"But it's broken!" a voice wailed, coming closer, and Ni looked up from his computer, frowning.

"And we can get it fixed, honest, Lirin! Ni'll help, he can fix anything!" He rose and stepped out his door to look along the corridor. Goku was trotting towards him, towing Lirin by the hand. He had a twist of silver-something twined around his free hand, and when he saw Ni he sped up, waving the hand above his head. "Hey, Doc, can you help? Please?" Bemused, Ni found the small object pressed into his hands and he lifted it to eye-height to study it. A pretty silver necklace, a stone arrowhead dangling from it. The clasp was wrecked, though.

"And how did this happen, hmm? It looks like a piece of Miss Yaone's jewellery." Both Goku and Lirin looked at the floor and were silent, identical blushes staining their cheeks. "So I'm guessing you didn't ask permission before you went through her things." The blushes got worse. He chuckled internally, and sighed externally. "This is the last time I help keep you two out of trouble. Come inside." Dutifully they followed him, and Ni distracted them both with a few passes of a pair of pliers and a touch of solder. "There, good as new," he said, handing the repaired necklace to Lirin. "Go put that back. Goku, I'd like to have a word with you." Lirin darted to the doorway and vanished. Goku kept his eyes on the floor.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Ni asked, lighting a cigarette, keeping his tone light. Goku twitched. "Well?" Words fell from the youth in a torrent.

"Lirin and me were playing, and she asked if she was as pretty as Yaone, and she didn't believe me when I said so, so I got her to put on some of Yaone's jewellery to show her, but it all got tangled, and we couldn't get that one off, and I pulled, and it broke, and _I'm sorry_!" The last was said in a wail. Ni blinked a few times, sorting through what the youth had said.

"Lirin asked you if you thought she was pretty?" Goku looked up, confused. Then he nodded. _Oh dear_, Ni thought. _That was unexpected._ Lirin had taken to the 'new and improved' Goku like a duck to water, ecstatic that there was someone else in the castle her own age to play with – and get into trouble with. She had to be reminded on a regular basis not to mention the Sanzo party or Goku's true past, though. This was one wrinkle he hadn't foreseen when he started this dangerous game; Lirin's interest in Goku being more than friendly. Sometimes he underestimated the age of the mind behind those huge green eyes and long lashes. As his mind raced through the possibilities and iterations of this interaction, he puffed at his smoke and pinned Goku with his dark eyes.

"You know it's wrong to take a friend's things without their permission."

"But we didn't take them! We were just borrowing them for a bit." Goku's hands twisted in the hem of his shirt. "I'm really sorry the necklace got broke, I really am! I don't know what we would've done if you didn't fix it." There was a wistful look in his large golden eyes. "Lirin just gets so sad sometimes, because she knows-" Goku clamped his mouth shut and looked away.

"Knows _what?_" Ni demanded sharply, perhaps a little too sharply by the expression on Goku's face. He gentled his tone. "You can tell me, Goku." The youth twisted his hem a little more and spoke in a low voice to the floor again.

"She knows her mother doesn't love her." He looked up, pleading. Ni let none of his calculation show on his face.

"Gyokumen Koshu..." Ni chose his words carefully. "Lady Gyokumen has the time and the room in her heart for only one person at the moment." Goku nodded.

"Lord Gyumaoh," the golden-eyed youth said knowledgeably. Then he frowned. "So when he's revived, she'll have time to love Lirin like she should?" Ni swallowed a shout of triumph.

"I believe so, yes."

**0o0o0o0o0**

Again Ni was interrupted by shouting. _How the hell am I supposed to get any work don? _he thought_. _Nihad just turned in his chair when his door was hurled open, and Goku was thrust through it. Kougaiji had one of Goku's ears pinched between his thumb and forefinger, and he had a thunderous expression on his face. The demon Prince's voice hissed out between his clenched teeth. "_Keep your pet away from my mother_." A second later Kougaiji had let go and turned on his heel, slamming the door behind him. The silence lasted for only a moment before it was broken by a sniffle – from _Goku_. _He's crying?_ Ni thought in surprise.

"Goku?" The youth raised his head, one ear bright red from Kougaiji's rough handling, and he had tears streaming from his gold eyes and a bruise on one cheek.

"I just wanted to help," he choked out. "Honest, I didn't mean any harm!" The tears fell faster. Ni found a somewhat clean handkerchief in one of his pockets and offered it to Goku. The younger man took it with a shaking hand and buried his face in it, muffling his sobs. Soothing and calming, Ni got the youth seated on the rumpled cot he kept in his personal lab and coaxed the story from him. Goku had apparently got it into his head to visit Kougaiji's imprisoned mother and see if he could 'help'. Kougaiji had arrived to find Goku measuring up the stone statue with his nyoi-bo in his hands and a determined expression on his face. He'd not listened to a word Goku had tried to say; instead, he'd punched Goku across the room then hauled him down to Ni Jianyi's office in a tight and humiliating grip. Ni smoothed his fingers across the bruise on Goku's cheek as the young man's tears slowed and finally stopped.

"Kougaiji's an ass," Ni said abruptly, surprising a giggle from Goku. "If he doesn't want your help, that's his loss, isn't it?" Goku threw his arms around Ni's waist and held tight, pressing his face into the lab-coated chest. Kougaiji had been against this plan from the start, and it had taken some heavy, not-so-veiled threats from Gyokumen Koshu to keep him toeing the line. _Maybe it's time for the prince to have a refresher course in acceptable behaviour,_ Ni thought.

"You always know how to make me feel better," Goku said, his voice soft. Ni stroked the tumble of brown hair. "Why is Kou always such a jerk to me?" Ni petted him some more.

"Prince Kougaiji has a lot on his mind right now." The head against his chest nodded in agreement, and he felt gush of warm breath as Goku sighed gustily. Then the golden-eyed youth lifted his head.

"Thanks," he said, shyly. Ni raised an eyebrow.

"For what?" Goku shrugged one shoulder, lowering his gaze in an unconsciously coy manner.

"Everything, I guess. Finding me, taking me in. Looking after me." Ni's mouth watered, and he stamped down on his libido, hard. Everything would fall apart if he gave in to the desire he'd first felt when he'd set eyes on the beautiful young man. _Boy, dammit, he's just a boy. _And if he repeated that enough times to himself, it might work. No matter what his other kinks were, and they were many and varied, he'd never, _ever_ used a child. Although Goku had the face and body of a young adult, the mind behind those golden eyes was much younger.

"You're welcome," Ni managed to reply, gruffly. Goku obviously noticed his tension and shifted, lifting his eyes again, curiosity and confusion warring on his face as Ni lowered his hands and looked away.

"What's wrong?" There was an edge of panic in Goku's voice. He blamed himself for Ni's withdrawal, which was true enough. Ni sorted through possible answers before selecting one.

"I suppose Kougaiji isn't the only one on edge these days." Goku's arms loosened.

"What is it?" he demanded. "What's going on? Why won't anyone tell me what's happening?" Ni allowed the silence to build between them, once more in control of himself and the situation.

"Goku... You know there are some people who don't want Gyokumen Koshu to have her lover back... Oh, I shouldn't be telling you this." Goku grabbed at his hand.

"I'm not a kid any more, you can tell me." Ni hid his smile.

"There's a man coming, Goku, coming to kill everyone in the castle to stop the resurrection." Goku's eyes went wide. "He's powerful, and he's got two friends with him who are also very strong. Kougaiji keeps trying to distract him, to send him away, and the prince keeps failing."

"Kougaiji's really strong," Goku breathed, one hand fluttering up to touch the light bruise on his cheek. "Just how powerful is this guy?"

"He's a Sanzo priest. They're high ranking monks, but this one carries a banishing gun and a scripture that can kill _anything_." Ni shook his head, making his expression sorrowful. "I think everyone is worried because they know he's coming, and we don't know how to stop him." Then Goku spoke the words Ni wanted to hear in a low voice.

"I'll stop him. I promise." Although he wanted to shout for joy, Ni forced himself to frown.

"Now, Goku, I don't want you getting hurt."

"It's OK," Goku said, "I want to do this." He looked down again with that shy, charming smile. "I want to help you." Ni allowed himself to stroke Goku's hair once more.

"If you're sure," was all Ni Jianyi said, his voice appropriately solemn, while his insides danced with glee.

**0o0o0o0o0**

_Another day, another rocky desert,_ Hakkai sighed internally as the monotonous scenery rolled by. He slanted a glance to his left, then up to the mirror sitting atop the windshield. It was so _quiet_. Neither Sanzo nor Goyjo spoke much these days, and only when Hakkai spoke to them first, which was seldom. Ever since Goku left, nothing had been the same. Sanzo had snarled and spat, declaring that the monkey could go, and good riddance. Goyjo had, at first, been on Hakkai's side, wanting to look for Goku, but as the days went past with no sign of the youth, he'd become withdrawn and solemn, finally agreeing with Sanzo that they had to move on. Hakkai was the only one of them who refused to believe that Goku had left of his own volition, but since he knew that the only people with the power to kidnap Goku were Kougaiji and his band, he'd agreed to move on, towards India, and, hopefully, closer to Goku and whoever was holding him.

As Hakkai shifted gears and steered around an outcropping of rock, he considered Sanzo's point. Goku _was_ incredibly powerful, and it would have been next to impossible to take him against his will. But why would he have just picked up and left? Hakkai had heard the argument Sanzo and Goku had the night before Goku'd vanished – it _was_ rather brutal, he admitted to himself. But it was just one of a multitude of arguments Goku had suffered through, and he'd stayed after the others. So why would he leave now?

He resisted the urge to break the silence – he'd been doing that for days now, and it was still awkward and ugly. Instead, Hakkai comforted himself with running through the mental list he was keeping of things that he would say to Goyjo and Sanzo when they found Goku. He was yelping and spinning the wheel a few moments later as a huge boulder slammed to the ground where they'd been a heartbeat before. Jeep balanced on two wheels for a second, then flipped, throwing the trio out. Hakuryuu was hovering in the air, cheeping worriedly as they pulled themselves to their feet. Goyjo shaded his eyes and looked up.

"Oh, look, Sanzo, it's your little playmate-" Goyjo began, then stopped, stunned, his mouth hanging open. Hakkai whipped around to look too, and found his own lips parting in surprise. Lirin was standing on the boulder, fists on hips. Standing beside her was a familiar figure.

"Goku!" Hakkai gasped as his heart gave a leap. At his side, Sanzo gave a growl.

"Where the hell have you been, monkey?" he demanded in a snarl. Goku frowned as he stared down at them.

"I don't know how you know my name, but I'm here to stop you. You won't put another foot closer to my home, and you won't hurt any more of my friends." He turned to Lirin, and Hakkai heard him speak softly. "Stay up here, Lirin, I'll make sure they can't get you." Lirin shook her head vehemently in denial.

"No way. Cranky baldy and me are gonna rumble." She punched one fist into her palm. "I owe him a couple." Hakkai watched in shock as Goku smiled at her, and touched her shoulder gently.

"You and me, hey?" Goku smiled again, extended his hands, and his nyoi-bo flashed into existence. "Let's do it." With that, he launched himself from the boulder. Sanzo, Hakkai and Goyjo were forced to scatter as the staff slammed into the ground in their midst, cracking rocks and sending debris flying.

"Monkey, what the fuck-!" Goyjo exclaimed, grabbing his shakujo just in time to block a strike from Goku. "It's US!"

"Yeah," Goku grunted as he strained against the kappa, "I know who you are. And I'm gonna stop you right here." His foot lashed out, hooking Goyjo's heel and spilling the lanky red-head onto his back. Goku raised his staff. "And don't call me a monkey!" Hakkai was moving before he'd had to opportunity to think. He tackled Goku, slamming into the youth and bringing them both to the ground in a puff of dust and sand. His green eyes locked with Goku's golden ones, and he shivered to see absolutely no recognition in them.

"Goku, please, stop," he pleaded. "Don't you know us? We're your friends."

"Yeah, right!" Goku spat as he twisted and bucked Hakkai off. "You're heading west to kill my friends! Can't you come up with a better lie?" Hakkai and Goku squared off.

"You don't know what you're doing," Hakkai said desperately, "stop before its too late and someone gets hurt." Goku just shook his head and attacked. Using all of his speed, Hakkai managed to avoid his strikes, but received a hammering blow to his temple that sent him flying when he lost his footing for a split second on the uneven ground. He tried to focus, tried to blink away the stars that danced across his vision. He admitted it to himself – he was scared. No, terrified, that someone would die today. Hakkai struggled to his feet, grabbing a nearby rock to drag himself upright. Goyjo had placed himself between Goku and Hakkai, and was once again trying to talk to the boy. Goku was having none of it, but since the kappa and the monkey had sparred more than once, Goyjo was better able to read his moves and fend him off.

Sanzo had his hands full with Lirin. It was obvious that his standard tactic of feeding her wouldn't work today, Hakkai noted. The priest was getting fed up, so Sanzo left himself open for a second, hoping to lure the girl into a foolish attack. The move paid off as his knee slammed into her stomach and the butt of his gun cracked against the back of her skull. Lirin's eyes rolled up in her head and she slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Lirin!" Goku cried. He disengaged from Goyjo with a clever feint then dove for the young woman, knocking Sanzo out of the way. He cradled her in his arms with a gentleness the other three had rarely seen. "Lirin, I'm so sorry, please be OK."

"She's just out cold," Sanzo said with a surprising amount of calm. "Goku, look at me." Goku raised his head, and the rage and menace in his face and eyes caused cold chills to race up and down Hakkai's spine. "You stupid ape, what the hell is going on?" Goku rose to his feet, still holding Lirin close.

"I wasn't ready for this. Next time, I'll fight you for real." His legs bent, and Goku jumped, landing on top of the boulder once more. He leaped for a second time, vanishing from sight. The next moment, there was the rustling of wings and a pair of flying dragons took to the sky, flying off towards the west.

"He even _sounds_ like Kougaiji," Goyjo grumbled, massaging a bruise on his forearm. "What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know," Hakkai admitted. "But I do know it isn't good." Sanzo watched the dragons as they shrank to dark dots. His expression was unreadable as he spoke.

"We do know something. We know that Goku is now the enemy."

_**A/N: Well, that didn't go how I was expecting. This was supposed to be a one-shot - I was wrong. Damn you, Ni Jianyi, this always happens when you're involved! All I wanted to write was a nice little Goku/Ni perversion, and it turned into this... Stay tuned, another chapter will be forthcoming... Eventually. -YoukaiNemisis.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: I have absolutely no idea how I'm going to get where I'm going with this fic. I can see the ending quite clearly – it's the bit in the middle that's hazy. So I'm open to any and all suggestions for the middle of the story. Please leave your suggestions in the reviews – what shamless plug for reviews? I know nothing of this shameless. -YoukaiNemisis P.S_ It also gives me a reason why this is so short. -YN**_

**Houtou Castle**

There was a loud bang, followed by the musical crashing of many bricks tumbling to the ground. Ni suppressed his wince. _Here I am,_ he sighed to himself as he opened his door and peered out of his office in a manner that was in-no-way fearful, _bio-mechanical engineer, martial arts expert, and zoo keeper._ Breathing deeply, he strapped a bit of mental steel to his backbone and approached the cloud of dust that used to be the wall separating corridor and garden. It had been a good idea, hadn't it? If he'd given Goku a place to train further away... wait, how did that logic go again? Doctor Ni managed to keep his expression calm and reasonable as he looked over the three-foot high tumble of masonry that used to be a foot thick brick wall.

Goku and Lirin stood in the courtyard just beyond. They'd removed the small fountain and pond that used to be the centrepiece, and replaced it with mats, weapons racks and the like. Out of the corner of his eye, Ni noticed the remains of paint on a surviving segment of wall and guessed the rest.

"Out of curiosity, whose idea was it to paint the bullseye on the wall?" Ni pitched his voice to carry, interrupting the argument going on in the middle of the courtyard. He picked his way through the rubble and approached the pair, pinning each of them under his stare for a few moments. "And what were you throwing at it?" Goku and Lirin shared a glance, squirming under his glare.

"Wasn't throwin' nuthin'," Lirin muttered, resentfully.

"Just punchin' an' kickin'," Goku mumbled. Just barely, Ni kept his mouth shut. _They were just... punching and kicking_. _Right_.

"Very well," Ni managed, surprised at his own ability to be coherent. "The pair of you will clean this mess up. I will speak to the castle mason to get the damage repaired." He frowned at the pair of them, using his most severe expression. "This will never happen again. We will never talk about this again. Understood?" He received two mute nods. Turning on his heel, he re-entered the corridor and walked along it, wondering where the castle mason could actually be found. Did they even have a castle mason?

The story of Goku and Lirin's dispute with the wall reached the castle workshops before Ni did. Over the chuckles of the burly demons who worked at the smithing, carpentry and stonework that kept the castle running, he managed to secure an order for a repair. It was only a few hours later when workers replaced the wall - _with a sliding screen_, giving Goku easy access to Ni's lab from his 'yard'. Any protests he would have made were silenced as he watched Goku help the demons, laughing and chattering with them as if he'd really been living in Houtou Castle all his life. As he closed his door and returned to his seat, Ni considered the ramifications of that easy familiarity.

Goku's friendship with the servants of Houtou Castle had been entirely unexpected. On the very first day he was out of Ni's lab, the golden eyed boy had offered to help a laundry maid with a load of wet towels. Unlike the other residents of the castle, he actually made friends with the staff. If Ni ever lost track of the youth, he knew Goku would eventually end up in the kitchens, where he'd carry enormous loads of wood and feed the ever hungry cooking fires in exchange for tasting whatever Cook was making for dinner.

Ni leaned back in his chair, propping his slippered feet on the edge of his desk. Prince Kougaiji was not happy with Goku's return to the castle. Ni grinned and lit a cigarette. The sweet irony was that the boy was doing exactly what Kougaiji himself had done several times in the past – running away to get _stronger_. Not for the first time, Ni considered using the Seiten Taisei. But Goku's true form could never be controlled, never be trusted enough to bring back the scripture Genjyo Sanzo carried. _But to use him as a tool of pure, complete destruction, what fun_, he thought. Then Ni frowned. He was honest enough with himself to admit to the funny pang that thought brought, along with the normal shivery excitement the contemplation of chaos always gave him. Ni's dark eyes widened, and he gave a small, bemused laugh. _I'll actually miss Goku when he's gone._


	3. Chapter 3

It was less than two days later when Doctor Ni returned to his office to stop in shock in his doorway. Goku. In his private office. In tears. Again. Patting his pockets didn't turn up a handkerchief this time, and so the doctor gave an internal sigh, then crossed the room, closing the door behind him. Goku was sitting on the edge of Ni's cot, face in his hands, shoulders heaving. Slowly and gently, Ni sank to his knees beside the boy and pressed one hand to the tousled brown mane. Goku shook, then lifted his head, and Ni realised the depth of his error.

The youth hadn't been weeping. He'd been muffling vicious snarls and curses in the skin of his palms. His golden eyes were cold and empty, and predatory enough to cause an icy finger to slide down Ni's spine.

"Goku, what's wrong?" He watched the youth struggle to form words, and his fear intensified. Had the Minus Wave woken the Seiten Taisei whilst Goku was wearing his limiter? A hint of the Goku he knew swam through those golden eyes, and the youth finally replied, with a crispness and precision Ni had never heard before in his tone.

"Does the Lady Lirin have the right to chose her own friends?" Ni blinked.

"What? I don't understand." Whenhad_ those _words last passed his lips? Ni felt that the young man he had rested his hand upon was a totally different man to the one he knew. He saw Goku struggle for _language_, for the human words to explain, and the cold finger against Ni's spine was back – and it had brought friends.

"Prince Kougaiji-" and Ni had never heard that title voiced with such hatred "-came to my yard today and ordered Lirin away." Goku took a breath. "Not ordered, but... he treated her with such... _disrespect-!"_ The young man was actually grinding his teeth. "I followed them for a little while, and over heard the Prince telling her that she wasn't to _train_ with me, not to _see_ me any more." Another breath. "Kougaiji then proceeded to confine her to her room, and placed guards on the doors." More teeth grinding. "How _dare_ he?" Goku looked almost ready to tear someone's throat out with his teeth. Uncomfortably realising that his neck was on a level with Goku's mouth, he hesitantly slid the hand resting on Goku's head down to his shoulder. The young man turned his head and Ni was frozen by the barely-restrained violence dancing in the molten gold of Goku's eyes.

"What should I do, Doctor? You usually have good advice for me." Those eyes hooded for a brief moment. "I can take Kougaiji in a fight." Nothing but simple confidence in that statement. "But he will still be Lirin's brother after I beat him to a bloody pulp." Goku spoke those words with relish. Ni thought fast.

"Are you more angry with Kougaiji or Lirin, for doing as he said?" Goku growled. He actually _growled_.

"Lirin should honour her brother and do as he says." Goku's lip curled in a vicious sneer. "That doesn't give him the right to be an ass and dictate to her."

"Then perhaps I should have a word with Lord Kougaiji," he found himself saying. _Wait, what? _Ni shrieked in the privacy of his own thoughts.

"And what would you say?" Goku crooned as he lifted his hand to grasp Ni's slender wrist.

"That would be between the prince and I," Ni managed to say in his usual lazy manner. It wasn't long, and it was a lifetime before Goku let him go. "I agree it is not for the prince to decide who the lady considers a friend. And you will go to the yard behind the kitchen and chop wood." He forced a stern tone into his voice. "And don't go _through_ the kitchen, either." As he watched, those golden eyes slid closed. "We both know you'll get distracted." This was spoken as an affectionate scold. Goku opened his eyes again, and the youth Ni knew was back. Yet Goku gave a smile that was sadder than usual.

"Alright," Goku agreed, with a gusty sigh. He and Ni rose together, and they stood, less than a foot between them. "When will you speak to the Prince?"

"As soon as I can. I _do_ have work to do, you know." That dangerous something swirled in Goku's eyes, but only for a moment.

"Alright," Goku repeated. Then he was gone, the door closing softly behind him. Ni staggered to a chair and dropped into it, fumbling for his cigarettes. He lit one while staring at the door and seeing that _look_ in Goku's eyes. He'd seen the boy in battle before, but the light that had been shining through those eyes had been _a desire to kill_. And every second Goku's flesh was in contact with Ni's, the doctor was vulnerable. Ni closed his eyes as he took a deep drag from his smoke, leaning back and resting his hands behind his head and his feet up on the desk. In his own, personal lotus position, Ni allowed himself to think back on the little encounter.

For some reason, Goku was going through a stage of demon adolescence, where youkai males were emotionally volatile and extremely predatory. From what he'd observed from the years he'd spent in Houtou Castle, it was the duty of the youth's male clan members to channel the tempers into something other than violence – say, domestic service. Ni allowed a small smile to come and go. But _why_ was Goku going through it? Sure, physically, he looked to be the right age. What did Gyokumen Koshu's clan call it? _Yearlings_, that was it. The yearling changes, and they lasted for anywhere up to _two years._ A tiny shake of his head. For the moment, his only concern was channelling Goku's sure-to-grow temper into non-destructive tasks – and perhaps some more fun destructive ones.

As he lowered his feet to the floor, Ni allowed himself a grin, seeing the paper he would write for _MMM_ (Magic, Medicine, Mechanics magazine). _Demonic Adolescence: Societal Causation Versus Genetic Components._ The grin faded to a self-mocking smirk as he forced himself to face what he'd _felt_ during the encounter. Genuine fear and shock, and he'd also felt a stirring of a long forgotten emotion, _helplessness_, in the face of Goku's rage and proximity. The unexpected one was the lust that had crackled through his body and set his nerves on fire from the moment he'd locked eyes with Goku and seen that look. He'd not felt something like that since... For a very long time, anyway. Ni curled his lip in derision, then rose to his feet, stubbing out his smoke and lighting another. He better have a little talk with Kougaiji _now_.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o**

He'd placed himself just so, mostly hidden in shadow in the corridor the Prince was passing through. "A moment of your time, your Highness?" Ni purred out of the dark. He was gratified by Kougaiji stopping, his clawed hands balling into fists.

"And what would _you_ have to say to _me_?" Ni ignored Kougaiji's posturing.

"I have a great many things I could... say to you, Highness," the doctor returned suggestively, leaning his shoulders against the wall behind him. Kougaiji's eyes slid down his body for a split second before he averted his gaze. _Interesting,_ Ni noted, filing the reaction away for future use. "I've been made to understand that you've place Lady Lirin under guard, and forbidden her from seeing Goku." Kougaiji's eyes narrowed. Ni waved one hand through the air between them. "You know how servants gossip, my prince," he said in an oily tone. "I came to make certain that this was not the case. Lady Gyokumen would be very unhappy if it was."

"And why is that?" Kougaiji spat, his fangs gleaming suddenly in the subdued hallway light.

"Why, the lady wishes my plans for Goku to succeed. I believe it amuses her. I would hate to have to report to her that you are being an obstruction, my prince." Ni hooded his gaze. "I would also add that this sudden protection of your sister could be seen as... inappropriate." He paused for just the right amount of time. "You wouldn't want any... improper... rumours to start, would you, Highness?" Kougaiji took a few, fast steps towards Ni, his clenched fists raising in anger. A moment later, Kougaiji's hands were splayed on the walls above Ni Jianyi's shoulders and he was looming over the slightly shorter man.

"You wouldn't dare," the prince hissed through gritted teeth.

"I wouldn't dare what, my prince?" Ni murmured, tilting his head a fraction. It took Kougaiji a moment to realise that he was within kissing distance, and he pulled back, a sneer on his face.

"If you used such filthy tactics, I wouldn't hesitate to respond. The whole castle would be in an uproar about the doctor and his _ward_." Ni smiled lecherously.

"What makes you think I'd care?" he asked, leaning a little closer. "I don't have much of a reputation, prince, nobody cares _what_ or _who_ I do." He breathed the next words against Kougaiji's mouth. "But you've got one. And Lirin does, too." For less than a heartbeat Ni's mouth was pressed, light as a feather, against Kougaiji's full, luscious lips, then the prince jumped backwards with a cry of disgust. Kougaiji scrubbed the back of one hand against his mouth in a childish fashion, and Ni smiled inwardly, a smile that spread to an internal grin as the prince processed what he'd said. The crimson-maned demon froze.

"You couldn't. You wouldn't. Not with _Goku_." The prince seemed almost stricken by the thoughts that had crossed his mind. Ni allowed his mental grin to curve his lips as his eyes twinkled lecherously, but he did not answer. "You're a disgusting pervert, NI Jianyi." The grin became a leer.

"I'd say that's my business, isn't it, my prince? As the matter of who she calls friends is Lady Lirin's."

"Why do you care?" Kougaiji burst out. Ni studied the demon prince for a moment.

"The... experiment... is moving into uncharted territory. I would rather not have Goku... upset at this present time." Kougaiji bared his fangs again. Ni slid away from the wall and stepped further back into the darkness. "Although, really, it shouldn't be a concern _to me_. It's not me he wanted to kill for restricting his access to Lirin."

"I'll accept any challenge he wants to make!" Kougaiji snarled.

"Are you certain, my prince? The temper of a yearling shouldn't be dismissed so easily, should it?" Once again, Kougaiji froze, emotions flying across his face and through his eyes. The sourest smile that Ni had ever seen on Kougaiji's face was twisting the prince's lips when he spoke again.

"If he truly is a yearling, I find myself almost wishing you _were_ bedding him. Your screams of pain as he tore you apart would be wonderful to hear." The prince turned on his heel and stalked off. Ni leaned against the wall again and lit a cigarette. _You know what, my darling brat prince? I'm almost wishing the same damn thing._

**_Another A/N: The magazine title (MMM) is from a fanfic by _despina_moon_ called _A Cautionary Tale_, an author at whom's__ feet I worship for that little gem._**


	4. Chapter 4

Less than five seconds after Ni Jianyi had entered Gyokumen Koshu's suite of rooms, he was sinking to one knee and bowing his head. The look on the Lady's face screamed someone was going to be on the wrong end of her temper, and, with his run of luck of late, it was going to be him. The silence grew thick, and after a while, he ventured speech.

"I came as you requested, my Lady." More like a command, actually, but the dark haired doctor wasn't going to quibble, especially with the mood Lady Gyokumen was in.

"Look at me," Gyokumen hissed abruptly, and, against his better judgement, Ni raised his head. Gyokumen Koshu was holding her favourite whip, and stroking her clawed fingers through the multitude of braided leather thongs that dangled from the thick handle. Yes, someone was going to be on the receiving end of her temper tonight. "I've been feeling neglected, Ni. And that's not good." No, no it definitely wasn't. A lesser man might have broken out in a cold sweat, by Ni let a crooked smile, one filled with sexual innuendo, curve his lips.

"I'm injured, my Lady, if you could possibly think-" The whip was hissing through the air and biting into the flesh of his upper arm and back before he could finish.

"You're not injured." Gyokumen Koshu's voice was thick with scorn and loaded with threat. "Not yet." Ni forced himself not to clutch at his arm and tried to think. What was driving the woman's rage?

"May I ask what I've done to displease you so, my Lady?" Lady Gyokumen stalked across the room and stood behind him, and the whip fell again, squarely across his back this time. He had a moment to be grateful that there were several layers of clothing between his skin and the whip, before he had to concentrate on what the demon woman was saying.

"You're ignoring me for that... for that... thing! That boy!" The whip fell again, and again, and now he was beginning to feel its bite. "They're all laughing behind my back, saying that you're bedding that boy because I'm not enough for you!" Now she was putting her strength behind the blows, and he could hear the fabric of his coat tearing. _Kougaiji, you clever little son of a bitch, _Ni thought.

"You are more than enough for any man, my Lady," he gasped, as a particularly powerful impact sent him sprawling forwards. Only a quick movement of his arms stopped his face from smashing into the stone floor. "You've been hearing lies from those who are jealous of you, of what I am to you. How can I prove my loyalty?" The whipping paused, and he watched slippered feet cross into his field of view. One elegantly covered foot extended and pressed beneath his chin, forcing his head up.

"Prove your loyalty? I can think of a few ways, Ni. What if I told you to kill him, right now?" Ni didn't hesitate.

"I would do as you command, my Lady." He swallowed, then took a chance. "But I would remiss in my duties if I didn't remind you that he's a good tool to get you what you need." Gyokumen Koshu was so very easy to read, and he watched a host of thoughts flicker over her face. He tried the smile again. "_He_ is nothing to me. _You_ are... everything."

"Is that right?" she asked, a pout she probably considered sexy on her angular face. The hand not holding the whip shifted to the sash holding her robe closed, and she slowly unbound it, allowing it and her robe to fall to the stones. "Prove it." Used to the demon woman's lightening fast shifts in mood, Ni didn't rise, just crawled across the floor to tell her with his tongue, his hands and his cock what she needed to hear.

Much later, when Gyokumen Koshu had fallen into a sated sleep, Ni slid his pants back on, clenching his teeth against the pain when the claw marks in his thighs brushed against the cloth. He gathered the other pieces of his ruined clothing and let himself out, ignoring the smug smiles on the faces of the guards stationed outside the doors to Lady Gyokumen's inner sanctum. He himself was smugly pleased to hear the gasps when they caught sight of his back. She'd not released her grip on the whip for the entire session, and his back was a testimony to her anger and skill with the lash. Thankfully, the blood was almost dry now, and the woman had not used her full strength after the initial assault.

He ghosted through the silent castle, keeping to the shadows out of habit. It was after nights like this Ni seriously considered killing Lady Gyokumen, but he always came to his senses. What was a little blood and skin, compared to the possibility of succeeding in resurrection? Gyumaoh would be his guinea pig – he had much larger plans for the ability to bring back the dead than some paltry demon king, and he needed Gyokumen Koshu to keep the residents of Houtou Castle in line whilst he experimented. After all, as far as they knew, Ni was just another human. His smile was sour as he slipped through his own door. _One day, though_, , he thought, _I'll teach you just who you've been playing with, bitch. And I can garantee you won't survive the education._

Ni dumped his blood stained shirt, coat and tie in the rubbish bin, and attempted to touch the wounds on his back, wincing when the slices in his skin pulled. A trickle of warm blood warned him that it was a stupid idea. Lady Gyokumen had hurt him worse in the past, but at this moment, he couldn't remember any of those times. Stripping off his pants, he stepped into his rusty shower and turned the water on. Ni's breath hissed between his teeth as he turned his back to the cold spray and watched as the pink tinged water sluiced away down the drain. When the water finally ran clear, Ni turned the water off and got out, gingerly patting himself dry. Tying the towel around his waist, he returned to his room and pulled out his stash of medical supplies. It was a very large box, and was loaded with several pills, powders and lotions of his own devising. The sour smile was back as he thought once again that Gyokumen Koshu was a mixed blessing – he'd never have invented some of this stuff if the lady didn't enjoy the most violent of pleasures.

He'd taken a powerful pain killer and doctored the bites at his throat and the claw wounds on his legs when there was a tap at his door, followed by the sound of it opening. Ni bared his teeth and spun, ready to share his anger at the intrusion, but his voice died in his throat when he saw the expression on Goku's face. Shock, dismay, horror, anger... All of them were in those huge golden eyes. Goku stepped inside and closed the door behind him. They stood in silence for a while before Goku spoke.

"Who did that to you? Are you alright?" Ni turned away and picked up a jar of salve.

"I'm fine." How to tell him to get out? "I'm not in the mood for company right now. Please go." He was surprised when Goku crossed the room and plucked the salve from his fingers. The aroma of the salve filled his nostrils as Goku began to tentatively smooth the cool cream across his back.

"Can you sit down? I can't reach." Feeling hesitant and slightly high from the pain killer, Ni straddled a chair, and Goku continued to cover his raw skin in salve. "Will you tell me who did this to you?"

"Why?" Ni was genuinely curious. There was no answer as Goku's hands went lower, and so he repeated the question.

"You're my friend," the youth replied slowly. "I want to stop you being hurt again." There was something else there, something unspoken. Ni turned in the chair to study him. Goku was blushing.

"You can't stop it happening again," Ni said, an unaccustomed gentleness in his voice. "This is Lady Gyokumen's handiwork. The lady..." He searched for the right words. "She wasn't pleased with my recent performance."

"Gyokumen Koshu did this?" Goku's voice was high with surprise. "But... But... Why would she punish you?" Wondering what reaction he'd get, Ni answered with the truth.

"She heard some rumours. Rumours about you and I, actually, that we were sleeping together." _Interesting_, , Ni thought, watching Goku's face go crimson. The youth obviously had made the distinction between sleeping in the same bed and having sex.

"But... But..." Goku stammered again. "Why would she care?" Not a question about why she'd believe the rumours, but _why would she care if they were true_.

"Because I've been her lover for a while now, and the lady has quite a jealous streak." Goku paled, then flushed again so fast Ni wondered if he was going to keel over from all the blood rushing to his face.

"Oh," was all the brunette said as he busied himself capping the jar of salve and returning it to the box, avoiding eye contact for all he was worth. "I should... You should rest. I should go." Ni reached out, grasping Goku's wrist as the youth turned to leave.

"Thank you for the help," Ni said, sliding his fingers down and along Goku's hand. "I appreciate it." Goku mumbled something, his face flaming once more, then he fled. As Ni rose and shed the towel, sprawling on his belly on his narrow cot, he grinned. _Well, isn't that interesting, _he mused to himself as he bunched the pillow up between his forearms and closed his eyes. As Ni drifted off to sleep, his thoughts weren't on Gyokumen Koshu and the pain she'd caused him, but the little hitch he'd heard in Goku's breathing when he'd stroked the youth's hand. _How very interesting indeed._

_**A/N: Y'know, my brain just won't give up on the whole Ni/Goku thing... Please R&R, as I've said before it makes me very happy. -YN**  
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	5. Chapter 5

_**It's baaaack! And, before you complain, I was actually off writing original fiction, thank you very much. And all these favourites and update links for this story - why you no review? You'll make me cry, and then I might have to do something... bad. You have been warned. -YN**_

0o0o0o0o0o

Ni glided through the castle's corridors until he reached the archway to Goku's courtyard. _I don't believe it_, he thought to himself as he silently watched. The gossip of the servants was right. The brat Prince was with Goku in the middle of the courtyard, one hand around the youth's ankle as he thrust a high kick higher, his other hand helping Goku balance. Kougaiji said something, Goku nodded as the Prince stepped back. The youth relaxed his stance, then performed the kick again, earning himself a smile and an approving nod. Kougaiji said something else, and it was Goku's turn to nod. Ni watched in amazement as the two began the slow, careful steps of a training kata in unison, then he turned away and returned to his lab.

Doctor Ni was able to ignore the slight shaking in his hands as he stripped off his lab coat and tie, but when he found himself picking up a glass beaker and hurling it at the wall, he stopped in surprise. _I don't believe it_, he repeated internally as he sank down in his chair, bemused. _I think I'm actually jealous! Jealous of Kougaiji taking an interest in Goku!_ Lighting a ciggarette, he leaned back and forced himself to think. This was advantageous, he knew it – the Prince and Goku as an effective fighting team would be able to end the Sanzo party's advance and gain the scripture. So why..? Ni sighed and closed his eyes. _Just when I think I've got a grip on all of this, something new and interesting presents itself._

0o0o0o0o0o

Kougaiji towelled the sweat from his bare torso and took a swig from a water bottle, all the while watching Goku from the corner of his eye. After Ni'd told him, after he'd thought to _look, _it had become obvious that Goku was indeed a yearling. Kou hid a grimace behind raising the water again. So he was here, training the youth, as honour demanded. The physical changes had started already, the Prince noted. Goku had gained at least two inches in height, and his chest and shoulders were broader, his waist more slender, a change readily apparent since he'd removed his shirt for training. Kou's thoughts were cut short by Lirin's voice. She had entered the courtyard, along with Dokugakuji and Yaone.

"Hey big brother, hey Goku." _She looks so shy_,, Kou thought. _When was Lirin _ever_ shy?_

"Hi Lirin!" Goku exclaimed. "Have you come to join in?"

"I, uh... I wanted to see if you wanted to get some lunch. Either of you," she added hastily, looking across at Kougaiji.

"Sure," Goku replied, smiling. "Coming, your Highness?" Kou waved his free hand.

"No, you go ahead." Goku smiled again and executed a credible bow.

"Okay. Let's go, Lirin, I'm starving!" Lirin waved at her brother as the pair exited the courtyard, walking far too closely together for Kou's liking.

"How goes the training?" Dokugakuji rumbled as he came forwards. "I still can't believe he really is a yearling."

"Why not?" Yaone asked. "He's a demon, isn't he?"

"No," Kou said abruptly, turning away. "He isn't."

"What do you mean, Kou?" the brunette swordsman asked, sounding confused. "Either he's our kind and a yearling, or he isn't." The Prince sighed.

"I don't know what he is, Dokugaku. He _feels_ like any other yearling, but he's going through the changes too fast."

"What do you mean, Highness?" Yaone was just as confused.

"What I mean is that, since it's just started, he should be years away from being an adult, but it feels like he's almost finished the changes."

"That's impossible."

"I know." Kou shifted his gaze to stare in the direction Lirin and Goku had taken. "I know."

0o0o0o0o0o

Hakkai gave up tossing and turning, and peeled off the light sheet that was his only covering besides the boxer shorts he wore to sleep in. He padded to the window and leaned against the sill, allowing the tiny breeze to dry the sweat on his skin. Hakkai couldn't stop thinking about it, even though the encounter was days gone. He'd barely slept since Goku and Lirin had attacked them, and Hakkai only kept himself awake during the day by channelling a thin thread of chi to heal his weariness. He couldn't stop seeing that look in Goku's eyes; the look that said he didn't know Hakkai, or any of them. The look that said Hakkai was the enemy, and had to be defeated. Miserable, he bowed his head as he realised that he didn't know what to do.

"It's going to okay, Hakkai." Goyjo's voice floated out of the dark behind Hakkai. "We'll get the monkey back."

"How?" Hakkai demanded abruptly, turning to glare at the red head seated on the room's other bed. "Just how are we going to do that, Goyjo? We don't know what they did to him!"

"You'll figure out a way," Goyjo replied. "You and Sanzo can work it out."

"What about you?"

"I'm not so good with the figuring out," the kappa admitted, a lopsided smile just visible on his face in the starlight. "But I can hold him down until you do what you need to do." A wry smile curled Hakkai's lips. Goyjo would never admit it, but he did actually care about Goku. But Sanzo... The brunette turned back to the window. For the past five days, Sanzo had been completely silent. He'd not said a single word after his pronouncement that Goku was now the enemy. Hakkai's fist clenched on the window sill as he wondered what the monk was thinking. He jumped as Goyjo rested one hand over his fist.

"Hey, 'Kai, are you okay?" Those crimson eyes were full of compassion and worry, and Hakkai allowed the truth to fall from his lips.

"No, Goyjo, I'm not. And I don't know if I ever will be." Hesitantly, Goyjo put an arm around Hakkai's shoulders and gave him an awkward hug.

"You need to get some sleep. You can't keep healing yourself." Hakkai blinked in surprise. "I've been watching the back of your neck glow from the rear seats of the jeep over the past few days."

"Oh." Goyjo led him back to the rumpled mess that was his rented bed and pushed him down to sit on the edge, standing over him and shaking his head, his long hair swinging.

"Between you not sleeping and Sanzo not talking, I'm starting to feel like the smart member of this group. And that scares me, 'Kai. Now get some sleep. Please?" Hakkai nodded.

"I'll try. That's all I can promise." Surprisingly, Goyjo reached down to tousle Hakkai's hair.

"Shut up and close your eyes." Hakkai allowed his green eyes to slide shut.

"That almost sounds like a threat, you know," he murmured as the grey fog of exhaustion rolled over him.

"Did it work? Yes, it did. So I don't care." he heard Goyjo reply as he sank into blessed sleep.

0o0o0o0o0o

"Goku? Can I talk to you for a moment?" Kou was surprised to find his palms clammy with sweat and butterflies dancing in his stomach. But it had to be done, no matter how Goku-the-yearling reacted.

"Me? Sure, your Highness."

"I want to talk to you about your intentions towards my sister." He was secretly pleased to see the look of incomprehension on Goku's face.

"Intentions?" Kou led the youth to a bench and sat him down. "I don't know what you mean."

"Do you like Lirin, Goku?" The golden eyed young man nodded a little too enthusiastically.

"Oh, yes, she's really nice."

"Well, she likes you too." A deep breath at the gleam in Goku's eyes. "And that's what we have to talk about. I've explained about being a yearling to you, about what your body and your mind are going through right now. You and Lirin shouldn't... get involved right now."

"Involved?" The gleam was buried in confusion for a moment before comprehension dawned. "You... You mean _sex_? But I wouldn't-!" Goku stopped when Kougaiji lifted a hand.

"Actually, you might. What's happing to you can twist your emotions and desires around pretty badly. Believe me, _I know._" He waited until Goku nodded. "So I need you to keep your distance from her until you've settled. I don't want either of you to get hurt." Kou surprised himself by meaning it.

"But-"

"What I mean is physical distance, Goku. You can still spend time with her, but if it goes any further right now, before you're both old enough..." How to make him understand? Then it hit him. "Do you know Rainei?"

"She used to work in the kitchen. She died recently."

"It's a little more than that, Goku. She and Hazan have been friends since they were children together. Hazan started his yearling changes last year, and two days ago they gave in to their desire and shared a bed. Hazan didn't mean to hurt her, but he couldn't stop himself. Now she's dead, and Hazan wants to die because of what he did." Goku's mouth was open with shock. "So believe me when I say I don't want either of you to get hurt. Just give it time, and..." He swallowed, and continued. "If you want to be with Lirin, I'll let you know when it's safe." Goku nodded, his expression sober, and they sat for a moment in silence. "You're due to start kitchen duty soon, aren't you?"

"Oh, yes!" Goku yelped, jumping up and starting off. Then he stopped, turned, and bowed. "I'll never do anything to hurt Lirin, your Highness. Ever. I promise." And with that he was gone.

_Yes, you will, Goku. One day you'll leave, and that will break her heart, _he thought as he rose from the bench. _And I don't know whether to allow her this happiness or not._

0o0o0o0o0o

"So, how was your day?" Ni asked, and winced at the sheer banality of it.

"Alright, I suppose," Goku replied, his voice hesitant. They were sharing dinner in Ni's personal quarters, a space he seldom used. "I... I had a talk with the Prince."

"Oh?" The doctor forced himself to sound disinterested. "What did you talk about?" Goku pushed food around on his plate and didn't reply for a while.

"Did you know Rainei?" Ni shook his head. "She died a few days ago." It clicked inside Ni's head. The yearling's woman. "He doesn't want the same thing to happen to Lirin." It was interesting that Kougaiji thought that it might.

"Her lover was a yearling, wasn't he?" Ni prodded. "Why does Kougaiji think the same thing might happen to Lady Lirin?" Goku blushed and mumbled something. "Pardon?"

"Because I like her." Golden eyes lifted to meet Ni's black. "And I don't want to hurt her. I couldn't..." He stopped, and looked down again. "Never mind." Ni laid aside his chopsticks and reached across the table to touch Goku's hand.

"Goku, I can't help you if you won't tell me what's wrong." The youth shoved away from the table and rose to his feet, backing up.

"I shouldn't... I can't... I should leave."

"Why?"

"Because I _want_..." Goku took a series of deep breaths, obviously an exercise Kougaiji had taught him. "I'm sorry. I should really leave."

"You haven't finished your dinner," Ni murmured, enthralled as he watched Goku master himself. He was between the young man and the door, so Goku wasn't leaving until Ni decided he'd let him. "Goku, please, tell me what's on your mind."

"I get these feelings, these _urges_, and Kou said I shouldn't, but I don't think I can control myself, and I'm so confused, and I'm scared, and I don't want to hurt _anyone_, but I..." It was said in a rush, with Goku staring at the wall. _Oh_, Ni thought as his mouth watered again, and not at the thought of the cooling food on the table. _Well now._

"Goku, look at me." Ni waited until the youth turned and met his eyes, his cheeks burning crimson beneath those golden eyes. "Do you trust me?" There was no hesitation in the youth's nod. "Then come here." Slowly, Goku returned to the table, and Ni rose. "I know how to... help. But only if you trust me." Goku nodded again and watched, his eyes round as Ni reached out and trailed one hand gently down his blushing cheek and down to his chest. He pressed his palm against Goku's skin, and felt the pounding of the youth's heart against his fingers. Ni's own heart beat faster as he trailed his hand lower, his fingertips grazing Goku's stomach. Goku's own hand darted across and captured his, squeezing tight. "Do you want me to stop?" Ni whispered, his voice husky with his own desire.

"No. But.. I don't want to hurt you," Goku gasped.

"Trust me. You won't." Ni leaned close, his lips hovering over Goku's. "I promise," he breathed against the youth's mouth, a heartbeat before he kissed him. Ni kept the kiss light and gentle, and gave Goku every opportunity to move away. Instead, the youth leaned into the kiss, and it went from light and gentle to passionate as Goku parted his lips, wrapped his arms around the lean doctor and made a hungry noise. Breaking the kiss, breathing heavily, Ni finally spoke. "Come." He squeezed Goku's hand and led him towards the suite's bedroom, ignoring the voice in his head that was screaming at him that this was a very, very bad idea.

0o0o0o0o0o

Ni stared at the roof as Goku snored beside him. He was covered in bites, bruises and scratches, yet he felt great as he floated on the cloud of endorphins. The sheets were sticky with blood and other things, and the sex had been fantastic. For the first time in a long time he'd danced on that thin line between pain and agony, between just enough and too much. He'd felt vulnerable, and had tasted genuine fear when Goku shoved him to his hands and knees among the pillows. Ni had not felt like that since... Since Koumyou. He allowed himself to remember those nights, of surrendering to another's greater power and letting Koumyou use him in any way he wanted. _The strong demand, the weak surrender_, he thought, shifting so that the sheet wouldn't stick to a particularly deep bite on his hip. _And when was the last time I was the weaker power between the sheets?_ Gyokumen didn't count; he could erase her with a thought. He played the weakling for her, a performance that was beginning to sour and grate on his nerves.

He shifted on the ruined sheets and rolled onto his side to study the sleeping Goku. For the first time in years, he allowed Ni Jianyi to subside and Ukoku Sanzo to rise. Anyone watching would have seen nothing more than his spine straighten a little, but his eyes had changed, taking on a depth of power that would have sent Gyokumen running and Kougaiji reaching for a demon.

Ukoku reached out, one hand hovering in the air above Goku's chest. The youth was sprawled limply on his back, eyes closed and a contented expression on his face. "Time for a little insurance," the dark Sanzo murmured, lowering his hand and pressing his palm to Goku's chest. Ukoku had been working on this spell for weeks, and he watched as it rolled down his arm and slid inside Goku's skin, settling in like it had always been there. Ukoku waited to see if the youth would wake, and when Goku didn't, he removed his hand and rolled over onto his other side, then rose from the damaged bed.

The bathroom mirror showed him an impressive sight – he had only a few square inches of unmarked skin left on his body. Ukoku whistled silently as he turned and craned his neck to check out his back. A noise from the bed made him slide the Ni mask back in place as he looked around the door frame to see Goku waking up. Hiding a grin, Ni walked back to the bed, idly wondering if the youth would be up for another round – and if he himself could survive it.

0o0o0o0o0o

_**And that's all for now, kiddies. It took me five chapters, but I finally pushed Goku into Ni's bed. Yes, I disgust myself sometimes, too. - With love, YN.**_


	6. Chapter 6

Ni Jianyi winced and rubbed his jaw again as he walked down the darkened corridor in the very bowels of Houtou castle. Kougaiji had ambushed him a few hours ago, and he'd had to use every trick he knew to stop the prince from landing a disabling blow, without letting on that the doctor wasn't just a human. It was almost... sweet in a way, how protective the brat prince was being of Goku, but now the dark doctor had bruises on his face to match the ones decorating his torso. It was only after he'd demanded to know if Kougaiji would have preferred Lirin be on the receiving end of Goku's change-fuelled desire that the prince had stopped punching and stalked off in a huff.

Doctor Ni knew the rhythms of the castle like he'd been there all his life – and it was now the quiet time. The only ones not asleep were the demons on sentry duty at the wall, and not even all of them would still be awake. He only allowed himself this treat every few months, but it had been such a trying week... He sighed and removed his glasses to rub at his eyes, and stopped, muffling a yelp as the bruise around his right eye stung. "Fuck it," he growled under his breath, then stabbed at the keypad in the wall to his left. There was a beep, and he entered the second code as he resettled his glasses and waited. There was a grinding noise, and a panel in the wall slid up, revealing a tiny room beyond.

The small part of the room that wasn't filled with banks of computers and monitors held a large tank, which was filled with a green liquid that bubbled and gurgled quietly. Inside the tank floated a figure, wrapped in yards of linen and surrounded by a drift of long blonde hair that moved in a slow, eerie dance. Ni approached the tank and laid a palm on it, the small, sad smile that he always wore in this room curving his lips. "Hello, Koumyou," he murmured. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

He'd bolted for Kinzan temple the moment it was safe after Gyokumen Koshu's demons had returned with the Seiten scripture to find the place under attack and on fire. Choking on smoke and his own sobs of pain, he'd gathered the pieces of his lovers body and brought them back to Houtou and this hidden room. Lady Gyokumen thought he was working on resurrection for her lover, when instead Gymaoh was Ni's test subject. If the process worked on the demon king, it would surely work on Koumyou.

Ni turned away from the tank when the inevitable tears threatened and checked the displays. Nothing had been disturbed since he last visited; nothing had changed. The atmosphere in the tank was still stable, but he made a few adjustments anyway, just to feel like he'd done something for Koumyou. Checking his watch, he stepped back to the tank and pressed his hand to it once again. "Soon, love," he whispered, "soon."

0o0o0o0o0o

"That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard, Hakkai!"

"Why? Why wouldn't it work?"

"I'm not saying it wouldn't work; I'm saying it's a stupid, crazy idea!" Goyjo slammed his fist into the table, rattling the plates and cups.

"We have to try s_omething_. Sanzo? What do you think?" Hakkai turned his green eyes towards the monk and watched as thoughts tumbled through those amethyst eyes. For the first time in days, Sanzo spoke.

"Yeah, it's a stupid idea. But it's the only one we've got. So we do it."

"Are you both out of your minds?" Goyjo exclaimed. "What if-"

"Chewing over 'what if's' isn't going to help us in this situation, Goyjo," Hakkai interrupted, beginning to stack the empty plates. "It will work. We have to believe that." Goyjo sighed and slumped in his chair. He lit a cigarette and blew out a long stream of smoke.

"I suppose you're right, Hakkai. But I want to be on record saying this is a really, really bad idea."

"Noted," Hakkai replied. "Now help me clean up this mess."

_**AN: Teeny tiny entry. But the next chapter will probably be the last. -YN**_


	7. Chapter 7

Once again, Ni found himself hiding in the shadows to watch. Goku was sprawled on a bench, his head resting on Lirin's thigh, her hand tangled in Goku's hair. The doctor couldn't hear the words they spoke, but the tone was light and teasing, and occasionally one or both of them would laugh, true happiness on both of their young faces. They looked... The dark doctor's lips thinned to a grim line as he finally admitted it to himself. They looked like they were in _love_.

"You see it too, don't you, Ni Jianyi?" a voice said behind him, and Ni forced himself to jump as if the Prince had surprised him. He'd actually felt Kougaiji's presence for a while. For a moment, Ni toyed with the idea of brushing it off, pretending he had no idea what the Prince was talking about, then gave up.

"Yes, I see it. It was _entirely_ unexpected, I assure you."

"I don't _care_ what you expected," Kougaiji hissed. "This is the result of your little game. So you're going to fix it."

"And just how do you propose I do that, hmm?" Ni asked coolly. "The heart wants what the heart wants, your Highness," he added, with mocking lightness. "And the Lady Lirin has a most generous heart." _So does Goku_, Ni mused privately. _And that's the problem, isn't it? He was brought here to be a weapon; and we _all_ want to keep him as..._ As _what_? Lover, friend, student, pet..? The dark doctor shook his head slightly. "Well, if he does what he's supposed to do, Goku won't be going anywhere, will he?" The demon Prince bared his teeth, ready to retort, when a voice rang out.

"Big brother! Come have lunch with us!" Kougaiji turned, his grim expression lightening into the smile that his sister always seemed to be able to bring to his face.

"Of course," he replied, walking towards the pair. Ni watched as Goku sprang to his feet, bowing slightly to the Prince before offering Lirin his hand. The unlikely trio walked off together, the couple hand in hand, a sweetly innocent picture that brought bile to the doctor's throat.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_ Ni demanded of himself as he returned to his lab. _Goku is a means to an end, nothing more..!_ The corners of his mouth turned down in a sour expression as he realised the lie. Well, perhaps it had been true, in the beginning. The youth had been a toy, a piece on the gameboard, but... When had Goku become more than that? The dark doctor sank into his chair, fumbling for a cigarette, and turned it over and over in his long fingers as he contemplated. Then Ni's eyes came to rest on a small, awkward clay sculpture of one of the castle's flying dragons that sat on the other side of his keyboard and memory stirred.

"_I made it for you."_

"_Goku, you didn't have to do that."_

"_You remind me of one sometimes."_

_A huffed laugh. "I do?"_

"_Yeah. They can look really clumsy, but when they fly or they fight, or they're looking after their babies, they're _amazing_. And... they can be kinda scary sometimes."_

"_I, ah..." A pause. "Do I scare you, Goku?"_

"_Me?! No way! But..." A longer pause._

"_But?"_

"_Sometimes... Sometimes you get this look, and I get scared of what... What you're thinking. But that's _not_ the same as being scared of _you_."_

_A wry smile. "You're right; it isn't. Thank you. I'll treasure it."_

"_You're welcome."_

Ni's lighter clicked as he finally lit his cigarette, and as he exhaled, he leaned back and rested his feet on the desk. _Fuck me_, he thought, shocked. _I never thought I'd actually end up _liking_ the little bugger._

**0o0o0o0o0o**

"It's time," Gyokomen Koshu snarled. "Send him and be done with it."

"As the lady wishes," Ni replied.

**0o0o0o0o0o**

"Lirin, please. _Please_ stay here. I don't think I could handle it if... If you got hurt again."

"But Goku-"

"Goku's right, Lirin," Kougaiji soothed. "Wait here for us; we just want to keep you safe."

"But-"

Goku gave her a cocky smile. "We'll be back before you know it." Hesitantly, he lifted one of her hands, and kissed the back of it. "I promise." Lirin was still for a moment, then she reached up, closed her fingers across the back of Goku's neck and dragged him down to mash her mouth against his.

"You'd better be," she growled before running off. Kougaiji watched, carefully keeping his amusement hidden as Goku reached up to touch his lips, a happy, bemused expression on his face.

"Are you ready?" the Prince asked.

**0o0o0o0o0o**

The mood was lighter after they'd decided on their plan, Hakkai realised. It may have been stupidly dangerous, but it did offer a ray of hope. No matter what the other two said, he _knew_ they missed Goku, and it made them all feel better to have a plan to get him back. But the days dragged on, with only random demon attacks to break up the monotony, and everyone was getting more edgy by the minute. So it brought the strangest feeling of relief to turn a corner and see two figures standing in the road ahead.

Kougaiji was the same as always, his long red hair caught by a stray breeze to stream out behind him, that familiar look of arrogance stamped across his features. But Goku... Goku looked _different_. Somehow, he'd added a few inches in height; and he was broader across the chest and shoulders. Even the way he held his body had changed.

"Sanzo party," the demon Prince declaimed. "You know why we're here."

"Yeah, yeah," Goyjo replied, waving a hand as he poured his lanky body out of the jeep. "Give us the scripture or die." His Kougaiji impression was actually rather good, Hakkai thought.

"And you brought the monkey," Sanzo sneered as he also got out. "So he's your pet now? Is that why you took him?"

"I'm no one's pet," Goku snapped in return, hands extending and his nyoi-bo appearing. "Just give us the scripture and turn around and no one needs to get hurt."

"Not gonna happen," Sanzo replied, removing his gun from his robes and snapping it open to check the chamber.

"Then let's end this," Kougaiji said flatly.

**0o0o0o0o0o**

Hakkai checked the cold compress on Goku's forehead for what seemed like the hundreth time, his side aching as he shifted on the chair. It had been a close thing. Not the fight with Kougaiji, but what had happened after they'd put their plan into effect. Hakkai had reasoned that, if Goku was brainwashed, releasing his power limiter should act like a reset; returning him to the Goku they knew. It was just a question of putting the limiter back in place afterwards; and therein had been the real fight. He glanced across at the other bed, where Hakruyuu was sleeping, curled up in a knot. If he hadn't have changed into his other form and landed on Goku as a Jeep when he had, Hakkai admitted to himself that they'd all probably be dead.

The door opened and closed quietly behind him, and Hakkai turned his head to watch Goyjo slowly cross the room, one hand pressed to the bandages that enveloped his bare torso.

"How's he doing?" the red head asked quietly.

"Still unconcious," he replied just as softly.

"That's a bad sign, isn't it?"

"Not necessarily." Hakkai folded his arms and sighed. "But I honestly don't know, Goyjo. I just... don't know."

"Damn monkey. We go through all of this, and he doesn't even wake up to let us know it's worth it. He just keeps sleepin'."

"'S hard to sleep with all th' noise," a muffled voice replied. Crimson and green eyes whipped to the bed as Goku groaned and yawned. He tried to sit up, but the chains that connected him to the iron bed frame stopped the movement. "What the-? What gives, guys?" His golden eyes were wide with panic as he looked at Hakkai, then across at Goyjo, his glance moving up the kappa's bandaged body. "What... Did I do something... bad?"

"Do you know who we are?" Hakkai asked, trying desperately to keep his voice level.

"Is this some kind of a joke, Hakkai?" Goku's expression was pleading. "I thought you were my friends..!"

"What do you remember?" Goyjo asked.

Goku squirmed in the chains. "Well, I was in the market place, and I smelled somethin' real tasty, and I went to check it out, and then there was somethin' cold on my neck, and then... Then I woke up here! What happened?" Hakkai released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"You don't remember _anything_ about the last few weeks?" Hakkai prodded.

"Weeks..! I've been asleep for weeks!? Wow, that explains why I'm so _hungry_!" Goyjo's lips curved in a smile at Goku's wail.

"Yeah, our monkey's back."

"Will you _please_ let me out so I can get some food? I'm dyin' over here!"

**0o0o0o0o0o**

Kougaiji's hand tightened around Ni's throat as he lifted the doctor's slippered feet clear of the lab's concrete floor. "This is your fault." His voice was cold and calm, and Ni realised he was in some very deep shit. He closed his fingers around Kougaiji's wrist and fought not to struggle.

"How?" he managed to choke out. "I didn't make her fall in love with the enemy." Lirin had done nothing but weep since Kougaiji had returned to the castle with the news that Goku had returned to the Sanzo party, and obviously he thought Ni was to blame for it. The demon Prince bared his teeth in a snarl as the muscles in his arm bunched. Ni only had a heart beat to prepare himself before he was flying across the room, smashing through glassware and over a table to land in an untidy heap on the floor. The tread of Kougaiji's boots was measured, and Ni thought fast as the Prince approached, murder clear in the demon's eyes. "I can take away her memories," he said, his voice a rasp. "I did it to him; I can do it for her. She won't remember anything about Goku's time here." Kougaiji's step slowed as he reached the dark doctor and loomed over him.

"Goku doesn't remember..?"

"It was..." Ni replied, before a coughing spasm racked him. "Insurance," he finally managed when they died down. "Just in case he did break the brain washing, like someone else I know, I couldn't let him leave the castle with those memories intact." He coughed again, making himself look as helpless and human and afraid as he could. Ni forced a tremble into the hand that he lifted to his throat, and put a pleading tone in his voice. "I can do it." Thoughts whirled through Kougaiji's eyes, almost too fast for the dark doctor to read.

"Then do it," the demon Prince said finally. "Do it, damn you." He turned and walked away, but the sound of glass being crushed under his boots was not enough to drown out his final words. "And damn me, too."

The door hissed shut behind Kougaiji, and Ni eased himself up to sit with his back to the wall, fishing a cigarette out of his coat. The doctor blew a long stream of smoke at the ceiling, his free hand prodding at the soon-to-blossom bruise on his jaw from the punch that had been the Prince's way of saying 'hello'. Life was going to be extremely... interesting, for the foreseeable future. Kougaiji would not forgive; but having Lirin forget would mean the topic of Goku would be taboo for quite a while. Ni would have to stay out of the demon Prince's sight for a period of time, but things _should_ settle down. Eventually.

Ni huffed out a sigh as he got to his feet and surveyed the damage to his lab. Nothing too bad, but... The dark doctor took a step, and dropped to a crouch, his long fingers picking up two pieces of clay from the floor. Put together, they took the form of a crude ceramic dragon. "Huh," he muttered. Ni's hand hovered over a bin, but for some strange reason he couldn't bring himself to open his fingers. "Sentiment," he sighed aloud, before stuffing the pieces into the pocket of his lab coat. "It'll be the death of me."

**0o0o0o0o0o**


End file.
